1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to an image replay apparatus and method for moving-picture streams. More particularly, it relates to an image replay apparatus capable of easily fetching moving-picture streams from a server via a network and subjecting them to a special replay, and an image replay method employed in the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, digital broadcasting (such as terrestrial digital broadcasting, broadcast satellite (BS) broadcasting, and 110-degree communication satellite (CS) broadcasting) has been spread in Japan. On the other hand, information-recording mediums, such as hard disks and optical disks, have increased their capacities. In accordance with these tendencies, record/replay apparatuses and methods have been developed, which are connected to, for example, a digital television receiver for automatically recording desired programs on those mediums.
Further, recent digital television receivers and digital record/replay apparatuses have a network connection function that enables the apparatuses to fetch information from a server.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-180341 discloses a technique for acquiring video data from a server. Further, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-350043 discloses a technique for enabling a client to request content from a server, more specifically, a technique for enabling the client to set a variable-speed-replay request.
As described above, apparatuses capable of acquiring a moving-picture stream from a server via a network and subjecting it to a special replay have been developed. However, these apparatuses may well raise problems when servers significantly differ from each other in performance and function.
For instance, some servers have a high network performance of 50 Mbps or more, and some servers have a low network performance of about 10 Mbps. Further, some servers can provide detailed information (e.g., I-picture position information) concerning MPEG (moving-picture experts group) 2 system, and some servers cannot provide it. There may occur the problem that a moving-picture stream subjected to a special replay cannot be acquired from a server that cannot provide detailed information (e.g., I-picture position information) concerning MPEG 2 system.